Heater



Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,454

W. W. RIDGELY HEATER Filed Sept. l2, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,454

w. w. RIDGELY HEATER Filed Sept. l2, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ./77' rR/VE YS Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. RIDGLY, OF SYRACUSE, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO RIDGELY HEATER. COMPANY, 0F SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, A. COB- PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

HEATER.

Application led September y12, 1925. Serial No. 56,038.

This invention relates to heaters and refers more particularly tothe construction of the lire box for burning various grades of hard and so-ft coal and other solid fuel, reference being had to my Patent No. 1,648,622, Nov. 8, 1927, and my pending application Serial No. 43,799, filed July 15, 1925.

The main object of the invention set forth in each of these applications is to provide a supplemental fire pot composed of sections of such construction that they may be assembled in the combustion chambers of different types of furnaces and analogous house heaters for receiving the fuel and in such manner that the air necessary for supporting combustion may circulate entirely around all sides of the confined fuel including the top and bottom thereof and also through the fuel at any level resulting in a morel complete combustion of the solid and gaseous fuels and therefor a more complete incineration of the solids so that the residue is reduced to a relatively small quantity of fine ash.

Another object is to Vpermit the burning of the cheaper grades of bituminous coal with a negligible escapeof gas or smoke, considerably below the limitations prescribed by the smoke ordinances of the more exacting municipalities.

One of the specific objects of the present device is to increase the grate area. of the fire pot by making the bottom thereof conical with its apex uppermost and at the same time to utilize this conical bottom as a means for automatically feeding the fuel from the center toward the sides of the fire pot and thereby to greatly increase the supply of air to the burning fuel at different levels for com.- plete combustion of the gases as well as the solids at all levels.

Another object is to support the bottom conical section of the fire po-t in suchl manner that it may be shaken angularly about its vertical aXis without disturbing the remaining sections of the lire pot.

Another object is to provide the conical bottom with agitator arms or lugs projecting from the upper face thereof for angular adjust-ment therewith to facilitate the agitation and removal of the fine ash during the shaking operation. l y

A further object is to provide the conical bottom with one or more vertically tilting sections normally held in place by one of the operating parts of the shaking device so that by simply withdrawing said part the tilting section will automatically open for dumping the fuel from the fire pot when necessary. i

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the device will be brought out in the following description:

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved fire pot detached from the furnace showing a portionof the shaker shaft.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same device taken on line 2 2, Figure 1,`

showing portio-ns of the combustion chamber of a heater in which the fire pot is located and the position of the fire pot relatively to the walls of the combustion chamber.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken in approximately the plane of line 3 3, Figure 2 with conical grate removed, showing more particularly the spider frame for supporting the sectional sides and bottom of the fire pot.

Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line 1 -4, Figure 3, showing the upper portion of the conical grid bottom and its tubular supporting stem in operative position upon the supporting frame.

Figure 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view through adjacent edges of two of the side sections of the lire pot showing the manner of assembling those sections.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the detached side sections of the lire pot.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of a portion of a slightly modified form of my invention in which an air and gas deiiecting plate is used directly over the sectional sides of the main tire pot.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 8 8, Fig. 7

The device forming the subjecty matter of this invention is adapted to be placed inv the combustion chamber as A of a furnace or other solid fuel heater and comprises a base section 1 and a circular fire pot composed of upright sections i2- and a conical bottom section 3 together with suitable means including a shaker-rod lt for shaking the bottom section 3 angularly about its vertical axis.

The base or grate-supporting section 1 is preferably of a skeleton type consist ing of a central hub having vertically spaced co-axial center rings or bearings 5F and -5- rigidly connected to each other by diametrically opposite upright bars the lower ring being provided with diametrically opposite pairs of arms -7- in the same sides as the upright bars -6- and equally spaced from and around the axis of the rings.

These arms --7- are preferably of equal length and are provided at their outer ends with lugs -S- adapted to rest upon the upper faces of suitable bearing lugs -9- projecting inwardly from the upright walls of a combustion chamber -A- near the lower end thereof as shown more clearly in Figure 2.

The portions of the arms -7- adjacent the inner ends of the lugs S- are provided with circumferentially elongated slots or sockets 10- which extend vertically therein and are arranged equal distances from the axis of the rings -5- and -5- and are also spaced equal distances apart circumferentially forreceiving portions of-the lower ends of the upright sections 2- and holding them in properly assembled relation against circumferential movement relatively to the base section -l-.

rEhe rings 5fand -5- are provided with vertically alined openings therethrough preferably of the same diameter for receiving a central tubular stem 16 of the conical bottom section f3- and permitting` the latter to be turned about the axis of the rings by the shalrer bar or rod -4-, the arms 7- being preferably inclined outwardly and upwardly from their junction with the lower ring z3- so that their outer ends will be disposed in a horizontal plane substantially midway between the rings and at the same time allowing` the central portion of the support- -lto extend to a plane near the junction of the combustion chamber -A with the ash pit not shown and also allowing the lower end of the fire pot to extend relatively close to the ash pit.

The object in making the base section lof skeleton or spider form is to provide relatively large air spaces for the free circulation of air from the ash pit upwardly through practically the entire area of the bottom section 3 and also through and around the main body of the lire pot composedof the sections -Q--.

These sections -JZ- are of similar construction and are therefore interchangeable and, as shown more clearly in Figure 6, each section is curved circumferentially so that when assembled upon the base section 1w they will be concentric with the axis of the rings a5. c

Each section is of suiciently lsmall size to permit it to be inserted through the fuel door or ash door and is tapered from top to bottom or flaring from bottom to top and is provided with a plurality of, in this instance three, circumferential rows of vertical slots or apertures -1l-, -ll and -l1- leaving intervening connecting webs -l2- between the several rows.

These slots are relatively narrow andarranged in uniformly spaced relation circumy ferentially, the slots of each row being of uniform vertical length.

These slots serve as passages for the inlet of air 'to supportcombustion and also permit the escape of fine ash therethrough to the ash pit, the slots of the lower row being open in the bottom while the slots of the upper row are open at the top to facilitate the free passage of line ash and air therethrough.

llllien the sections 2- are assembled on the supporting base -lthe outer faces of their upper ends contact with the walls of the combustion chamber to assist in holding the lsections in operative position while the remaining portions are spaced apart from said walls to afford a clear open space for the passage of air from the ash pit or bottom upwardly around the fire pot and through the slots of the several rows.

rlhis provides for the supply of a large quantity of air for supporting combustion at all levels of the lire pot, all of which greatlyv facilitates the complete combustion of the solid fuel and gases to such an extent as to eliminate objectionable smoke and to reduce the solid fuel to a relatively small quant-ity of line ash and at the same time obtains from the fuel a maximum amount and degree of heat and permits the economic use of the cheaper grades of bituminous coal, colte, and the finer grades of anthracite coal.

The lower ends of the several sections Q- are provided with pendant posts i3- adapted to enter the socket-s l0- in the base section w-1-, each socket serving to receive the posts on the edges of adjacent sections for holding said sections in operative position against movement relatively Vto the base section without other fastening means.

Corresponding edges ofthe intermediate portion of each section are providedwith 1ircumferentially extending lugs H-14- offset outwardly to overlap upon the edge of the nent adjacent section for additionally holding the sections against inward and outward dis placement when adjusted'for use.

The bottom section 3* is conical or mushroom shape in side elevation and is of slightly less diameterv than the interna-l diameter of the lower en-d of the upright portion of the fire pot so that it may be placed in op-` erative position from the top downwardly through said upright portion or, if desired, may be placed in operative position from the bottom upwardly through the ash pit before the side sections are installed.

This conical bottom section is arranged with its apex uppermost and co-a-Xial with lll) the rings -5- and -5- and is provided near its apexwith a central hub -15- having its lower end resting upon the upper face of the upper ring -5-.

A tubular post or stem --l6- has its upper end secured' by a cross pin 17- to and within the hub -15-, said post being extended downwardly through the rings -5-- and 5 and some distance below the lower ring -5- for relative rotation in said rings, the lower end of the post` being provided with a diametrically extending opening -lfor receiving the reduced end 4H- of the shaker rod -t-. Y

The conical bottom sect-ion -3- is also provided with a plurality of circumferential rows of radial slots -lS-, -19- and --20 arranged in diderent planes one about the other in spaced relation to permit the passage of air therethrough lfor supporting combustion and also to allow the escape of line ash therethrough to the ash pit, the lower 4 row of .slots being open at the bottom while the upper series of slots -20- areV arranged directly over the opening in the tubular stem l6 for the same purpose.

The conical bottom section -3- is pro'- vided with a. relatively movable tilting section 2lhaving its lower outer edge formed with opposite circumferentially projecting trunnions 22- journaled in suitable bearings -23 which are open at the top to permit the section -2lto be easily and quickly installed or removed without displacing any of the other parts.

The tilting section -2lis provided with a downwardly and inwardly projecting arm -24-, having its lower end normally resting upon the upper face of the shaker bar -tadjacent the tubular stem -16- for holding the tilting section in its closed position and permitting it to be opened by simply withdrawing the shaker rod -4- forwardly from the tubular stem 16e-whereupon the movable section -21- will automatically open by its own weight to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2 for partially or wholly dumping the ash and fuel from the fire pot when desired.

The conical section 3* is also provided with a series of agitator blades or fins -25- arranged a in more or less staggered and spaced relation around the axis ther-eof and projecting upwardly therefrom, said agitator blades being preferably formed separately from the conical sect-ion 3 and secured in suitable sockets -26- therein as shown in Figure 2.

In Figures 7 and 8, is shown a deflecting ring composed of sections -27- arranged end to end circumferentially around the upper end of the fire pot so as to incline downwardly and inwardly for deflecting the heated air rising around the fire pot downwardly and inwardly on to the surface of the fuel for increasing the combustion of the gases which tend to accumulate at said surface and thereby to further reduce the smoke content of the escaping products of combustion in addition to the extra heat produced by the burning of the gases.

In this latter construction the upper ends of the upper row of slots as -28- will be closed and the inner walls of the combustion chamber as -A- will be corrugated circumfcrentially at -29- while the upper outer edge of the dellector ring Q7- will also be corrugated at 30- to mesh with the corrugations 29- and thereby to retard the escape of gases at the corrugated joint.

The sections -27- of the deflector ring are provided with suitable legs --31n adapted to engage the upper portion of the fire pot for holding said deflector plates in spaced relation thereto as shown more clearly in Figure 8, `the meeting ends of the sections being provided with interlocking tongue and groove connect-ions to hold the sections against relative lateral displacement.

It will be noted upon refer-ence to Figure 2 that the apex of the conical bottom section -3 extends some distance above the bottom of the upright sections which allows the fuel to automatically feed downwardly from the center toward the sides and thereby to distribute itself ov-er a relatively larger area than would be possible if the bottoni section wereflat and also permit-ting the air surrounding the fire pot to pass more readily into the burning fuel for supporting combustion at the various levels, it being understood that the air may pass not only through the openings in the bottom section but also through the side sections from bottom to top and that the natural flow of the heated air entering the side sections would follow upwardly along the inclined sides of the bottom section.

This upward and inward feed of the air is further facilitated by the downwardly tapered form of the lire pot and assures the feeding of the heated air to the fuel at different levels, it becoming heated to gradually increasing degrees as it rises.

In case the ash and fuel should become congested on the bottom section -3-, the latter may be shaken. angularly about its axis by means of the operating means -4- which may extend to the exterior of the furnace for that purpose.

During this shaking operation the fins -25- serve to break up the congestion and fuel on the grate and allows it to sift through the openings therein to the underlying ash pit.

In dumping the ash and fuel from the fire box, the shaking member 4* may be withdrawn from the tubular stem V`16- thus permittingl the tilting section -21- to drop to an open position as shown by dotted lines in lll) Figure 2 under which conditions the ash and tuel will tall through the opening.

ln assembling the parts the base section 1- is first placed in operative position upon the lugs 2l- Where it may be held against turning by any suitable fastening means.

The bottom section #t3- may then be placedv in operative position upon the base section and supported thereon independently of any other fastening mea-ns than the insertion of the tubular stem l6- into the rings 5 and -5- so that the hub #l5- ot the bottom sect-ion may rest upon the top ot the upper ring.

The side sections E2- may then be placed in operative position upon the base section 1- With the posts 1S- seated in their respective sockets -lO- without any other fastening means for holding said sections in operative position with their upper ends resting loosely against the Walls ot the combustion chamber or against the lugs -14-- lt is evident however that the order of installation or" the bottom section and side sections may be reversed and that in either case t-he sections may be placed in operative. position or removed thru either the fuel door or ash door ot the heater.

llVhat I claim is l. In a heater ot the character described, a combustion chamber, a lire pot mounted in the combustion chamber and provided With a co-axial upwardly tapered bottom section movable angularly about its axis relatively to the side Walls of the fire pot for shaking the ashes therefrom, said bottom section being provided with a tilt-able section and removable means `for moving the bottom section angularly and tor holding the tilting section in its closed position when adjusted :tor use, said tilting section being adapted to open by its own Weight when said means is removed.

2. ln a. heater of the character described, a base having a central hub and grate-supporting arms projecting outwardly theretrom in spaced relation circumferentially to form relatively large air and ash passages between them, the outer ends of said arms being provided with sockets equal distances from the axis ot the hub and in uniformly spaced relation circumterent-ially about said axis, and a lire box composed oft a number of sections corresponding to the number of said arms arranged edge to edge circuinferentially and having the lower ends of their meeting edges alined With the centers ot' the sockets and provided with pendant lugs seated in said sockets. t

8. A heater as in claimQ in which a center grate is rotatably supported on said hub and has its outer marginal edge disposed in approximately the horizontal plane oi' the socketed outer ends of the grate-supporting arms and in spaced relation to the lower end of the Firebox.

Il. In a heater, a grate-supporting base having a central hub and a series of sockets arranged in uniformly spaced relation circumterentially around the hub and equal distances trom the axis thereof, a irebox composed ot' sections arranged edge to edge circumiierentially around the hub with the meeting edges in vertical alinement with said sockets and provided With pendant lugs seated in adjacent sockets, a tubular post journaled in said hub tor angular movement and extended some distance above and below the horizontal plane of the socketed portions of said base, a conical center grate having its apex secured to the upper end of the post and engaged with the upper end ot' the hub and its outer marginal edge disposed in approximately the horizontal plane of the socketed portions ot the base, and means operatively connected to the lower end of the post :tor eiiecting angular movement of the post and center grate.

ln Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this th day ot August, 1925.

VILLIAM WV. RIDGELY. 

